A Hundred Years Worth of Journals
by what-if-i-told-you
Summary: Edward feels he is leading a charmed life so he sees no problem in going on an extended vacation to New York with Bella and Nessie. There, drama ensues causing Bella and Edward to need a temporary separation. During a night alone, Edward finds his childhood journals and decides to flip through his past, reminiscing about a life that was stolen from him. (Please read the blurb!)
1. Prolouge

Before I begin, I would like to point out that this particular story has been on my mind since I first saw the deleted scenes of Twilight. Since then, I was inspired to write about the contents of these journals of his that he seemed to want to keep a secret from Bella. This is really based on the movie since I don't remember the journals in the book, however FanFiction doesn't have any category about the movie Twilight so I had to put it in the book section. Please note that I'm not particularly good at writing sex scenes, plus I don't particularly enjoy reading them, however in some cases it can be an important factor in stories so instead, whenever you see this page break: ~~~/~~~ know that sex is implied (not to be confused with the ... that only means a break from the blurb and the story, be mindful my lovely readers). Also another important thing I'd like to point out is that this story comes from 3 points of view: Edward's (which the preface is written in), mine (as an all-knowing narrator) and Edward's from his journal entries. After the preface, I will signify this by **bolding **journal entries,_ italicizing_ Edward's narration and keeping all the dialogue and my narration in normal font. Sometimes, in the end, I may add conversations with Edward that I have with him. In this case, I'll be myself which will be represented by a _**bold italics** _and the main thing to remember is that it is assumed that Edward does not know that I know the story. Anyway, it appears complicated but when it happens, you'll understand. Please, please, please comment and I hope you enjoy.

...

_It's been nearly fifteen years since I first met Bella. We've been married and had our daughter Nessie and we've been exceptionally happy. That is, of course, up until about three months ago. We took an extended trip to Carlisle's old apartment in Cobble Hill. Just us three. Nessie wanted to see the city and how could we possibly refuse that precious face? _

_But since then, Bella has been different. She came home at ungodly hours of the night, if at all. She smelled as if she was with others and she never told me what she did. So one night, I asked Jasper to come over for the night to watch Nessie. Then, I followed her. I never thought I would ever distrust my wife enough to need to follow her when she goes out at night but it happened. And what I saw... it was worse than I could've ever imagined._

_She was murdering innocent people. Drunks at nightclubs, people passing near alleyways, couples strolling in the park late at night. It must have been three or four people whom would never see the light of day. Then she would take what's left of them and burn it, throwing the ashes in the East River. She looked so pleased with herself. She would smile as they burned, like a demented child. When I got home, I told Jasper to take Nessie back to Washington, it didn't matter what he said to explain, I just wouldn't stay in that poisonous city any longer. I packed all of our things and sent it with Jasper. Only the keys to the front door stayed behind. I waited for her, patiently, when that small knock came I was calm enough to sit with her and talk about this like rational adults. When I opened the door, it all disappeared._

_There was one thin streak of blood going down the side of her lips. It was so small, barely noticeable to a human. But it sent me off._  
_For hours, we yelled and screamed at each other. I told her that she's setting a bad example for Nessie; she told me that she was only indulging herself. I told her that I saw her and that if she enjoys it that much, she won't be able to break the habit. She told me it was in her nature. I told her that it is not in the Cullen nature. To my surprise, she fell silent. She reached into a pocket in her small jacket and took out a vile, filled to the brim with a thick, red liquid. She took off the cap; the scent of fresh blood permeated the room._  
_"Come on..." she whispered, coming closer to me." It's what we were meant to do." She chuckled and dipped a finger in the vile. "It's why we're here." She moved her finger close to her mouth._  
_"We're going home... everything is packed and already on its way home, Nessie is with Jasper, there's nothing you need to do. Bella, love, let's just get out of here. This was a mistake." She was chest to chest with me at this point. She had scraped her finger on the side of the vile and brought it to her lips._

_"If you drink that, I will force you into the car." She raised an eyebrow and brought it closer. "Stop!" It was at her lips, "GODDAMN IT BELLA, STOP!" She downed it like a shot and let out a small moan as she drank it, almost as if it was an erotic experience. I grabbed her and brought her to the car, kicking and screaming._  
_It just hasn't been the same after that._  
_Everybody's spoken to her, telling her that it's not fair to people that they should die so we are fed and she has promised to never do it again but we are different. I can't trust her as I used to. She apologized to everyone, she begged for forgiveness from me and Nessie. And we acknowledged her apology. But it was reluctantly so. She felt so guilty that she nearly starved herself to death. Ten days she went without a drop of blood. Human or not. She was slow and weak. Carlisle begged her to stop and took her with him and Esme to Vancouver. They were to spend a long weekend to relax and hunt. This is the first night they're gone. This morning, I simply stared out the windows, waiting to see one of them walk back into the house, followed swiftly by the other two._

_"Please stop." Rosalie told me after a little while, "You look like a depression patient." She walked off and I sighed and walked upstairs to my room. I looked around, slightly disgusted with myself._  
_It was a mess._  
_I took a minute to straighten it out a little and I saw something I haven't thought of in years. There, on the floor was a fallen stack of medium sized leather-bound journals. There were ten, of course. I knew that already. They were black, all of them. They all had a dark red ribbon as a bookmark. They were all filled with my most sacred memories of a time of complete happiness and bliss. I picked one up, the familiar smell dancing in my nose. I opened the book to the marked page. There was just one word that caught my eye. It was a name. A name I hadn't heard since my wedding day but hadn't swooned over guiltlessly for over a century._

_Cara._  
_The name flooded me with memories, my happiest memories. I smiled, remembering her._  
_Cara._  
_It still amazes me how perfect she made my life. Yes, if my life had been perfect, it was because she was with me for most of it._  
_Cara._  
_Cara is where my story starts._  
_I grabbed the other nine journals and picked up the oldest one. I was eight years old when Cara gave me this journal. She had only been living next door to me for about four months, but she and I were already best friends._  
_I opened to the first page, sucking in a breath, unsure of what I had just gotten myself into but it was okay. Whatever I wrote, I could handle it._  
_Here I am, talking about Cara without explaining her. Cara is my best friend. Cara is one of the reasons why I am the kind of person I am today. Cara is, without a doubt in my mind, the most selfless and caring person I've ever met in all my years. Cara is many things. But above all, she is my first love._


	2. The Pencil

This is the first chapter of my little experiment with the different fonts. I hope its flows as easily as I imagine it will. Remember:** bold** is the entry, _italics_ is Edward, normal is the narrator (me), and me in ending conversation with our dear Edward is _**bold italics**_. Okay? Lovely. I usually get inspired by a song but I can't picture a proper song for this memory (Is it a memory? I suppose). It only makes me wish that Edward could have been born in the 50's... so... much... good... music... Oh well. Now as I read over the story for the final time, I see it's in past tense, if you're wondering about that, it's because he's writing it as if it just happened a minute ago. But, I may switch to a present tense, if I do, that's just a typo. I have huge issues with tense agreement, my apologies. I doubt it will get in the way of the story, I just want to let you know. I own nothing of Twilight but there are some original characters (i.e., Cara) so those **_are _**mine. No stealing, guys. Really. Promise? Alright. Please comment, your comments fuel me as a writer.

...

**20 June, 1909**

_Has it truly been so long ago? I smiled as I flipped the page to my atrocious penmanship. I was only eight; writing was not exactly my forte. In fact, it was a small miracle to find that the spelling mistakes were limited and it was relatively easy to read._

**It is my birthday today. Hopefully you knew that.**

_I couldn't help but laugh a little. That was adorable. It continues:_  
**Today was alright I suppose. It may have been worse if Cara was not there. She's really nice. Today for my birthday she gave me this book because she told me to write down my thoughts of the day. She said she does it and it makes her feel good. She says if I like it, she can get me one every year for my birthday. She even gave me her magic pencil too.**  
_This gave me pause._  
_Magic pencil..._  
_I bookmarked the page and closed the book, placing it on the couch. The memory was lost somewhere in the depths of my subconscious. It took a minute or so until it was retrieved in full. If my heart were beating, it would have beat faster at that moment. I was at my bookshelf in an instant. I was so excited that I forgot that I was wearing socks and nearly skidded across the hallway. Luckily I only slipped a little and regained my balance quick enough. I reached at the higher shelves and pulled down my original copy of Dubliners. I never read it since I heard that it was about drunkards. But, if memory serves..._  
_Yes, of course. I opened the book which was hollowed out and contained various small items. I once treasured these items that were now kept hidden away from my wife, my child and, more importantly, me. I gazed down at it in awe. I felt like a child once more. I pulled out a short, heavy pencil. It was awkwardly rounded and had a dull point. The eraser was plucked off long ago and the dull paint hinted at a previous yellow hue. I held it with care as I examined it and slowly bent down to my knees. I placed the pencil on the floor and watched with great enjoyment as it slowly began to roll along the perfectly level floor. The memory came to me full force. Yes, she was right. This was indeed a magic pencil. It was because of this silly, disproportionate pencil that I met Cara those years ago._

Before he was Edward Cullen, he was Edward Anthony Masan. For his entire life, he lived in Chicago, one of the busiest, tightest, most exciting cities in the country (and of course, the windiest). Since he could remember, he never had neighbors. He lived on a corner between a tailor and a shoe store. The only way he could really ever have a neighbor is if someone moved into the apartment above his. But no one ever did. And why would they? He heard stories of it from kids he knew on neighboring streets. It had bugs under all the furniture, the walls were painted with blood and the dust came to life at night (allegedly). However, around five months before his eighth birthday, electricians, plumbers and decorators ran up and down the stairs like bees from a hive. His mother was instantly excited, hoping and praying that the new neighbor would be someone famous or, at least, friendly. His father shared a much more silent enthusiasm about it. He hoped very much that the new tenants would be a family with many children around Edward's age. He thought often of how his son preferred a quiet room to a group of friends. This confused and concerned him greatly. Edward, however, had no expectations of these new people. In fact, he was a little upset. He never wanted anyone too close by, people moving upstairs felt like an invasion of privacy.  
But, whether they liked it or not, moving day came.  
It was a spectacular swarm of muscular movers hauling comfortable couches and exquisite end-tables. Their furniture looked expensive and it seemed to be a never ending amount of it. Emerging from a shiny car was two of the most stunning people Edward had ever seen up to that point. The woman was on the shorter side with curly blonde neck-length hair. Her skin was fair and her eyes were an emerald green. But surely, the thing that made her so gorgeous was the way she walked for it was with a certain strut that said she loved her life. Holding her arm tenderly was a man of her same height with much darker skin. A Spaniard no doubt. His hair was black and slicked back so it came close to his head. His eyes were dark and full of happiness. The man took his wife in his arms and carried her from the outside porch to the beginning of the stairs. They giggled and spoke quietly to each other. Edward looked away; he knew when to give people their privacy.  
He looked towards the Ford on the curb. There was a third person emerging from it. With difficulty, to say the least. A pair of little black shoes felt for the ground below before settling on it. Her skirt fell to a little bit above her ankles (it was winter after all) and her petticoat went to her knee. She turned and reached for a box inside the car. She held it close to her. It was small and closed in a haphazard manner. She had every intention of opening it immediately.  
She looked over to Edward, a few locks of curly dark hair falling to her face. They looked at each other with slight confusion and wonder. Never had either of them met a child their own age of the opposite sex. They smiled at each other at the same time. Edward waved politely. The girl scrunched up her face and closed her eyes tightly. The corners of her mouth turned up in a peculiar smile. She hugged the box closer to her chest. She looked like a stretching cat. She skipped blissfully into the building.  
About two weeks after Edward saw this girl; his mother entered their dining room excitedly.  
"Do you know who I just ran into outside?" She tapped on the tabletop happily as she awaited Edward Sr.'s response. He folded the top of the newspaper down and stared at her quizzically over the paper. "Mrs. Vivas!" She clapped her hands together and giggled.  
"Who?" Edward asked. Elizabeth sat down at the table and knit her fingers together.  
"The new neighbors. Upstairs? They moved in a few weeks ago?" She reminded them. Edward nodded, she continued.  
"Well, she invited us over for dinner."

Hours later, the trio walked up the stairs to the neighbor's door. They were dressed carefully so. Smart but still casual. They wanted to make a good impression and such hobnobbing involved well combed hair, polished shoes and a home-baked apple-cinnamon pie courtesy of Elizabeth. It was still a little warm. She knocked twice, announcing their arrival. Mrs. Vivas opened the door.  
"Hello!" She bellowed and embraced Elizabeth in a warm hug. Her voice hinted at a faded Italian accent. The door opened wider and Mr. Vivas stood waiting near the table.  
"Hey neighbors." He said happily walking towards them. His accent was still present, but not as overpowering as any of them expected. His smile was glistening, never before had the Masens encountered such a warm welcome in all their years of living in Chicago (or anywhere, really).  
They clicked instantly. They talked about the neighborhood and exchanged friendly gossip. About an hour into the evening, Cara set down her water glass and took Edward's hand.  
"Come with me." she whispered. He obliged. They scurried down the hall, just barely making a sound. When they got to the end of the hallway, she put a finger to her lips and he nodded. She opened her door cautiously, almost as if she was trying not to wake someone. She crossed the dark room with confidence and struck a match that lit a series of candles, illuminating the perfectly decorated room. She blew out the match and walked over to her closet. She reached for a box on a higher shelf. Since he stood about three inches taller than she, he thought to offer his assistance but by the time he did so, she had gone on her tippy toes and retrieved it on her own. She waved him over to the box as she opened it slowly, taking out the small pencil.  
"This pencil has magic," she whispered to him and then sat on the floor, "no matter where I go or how flat the floor may be..." she placed the pencil on the floor and then let it go."It always wants to go somewhere else." They both watched in awe as the pencil clumsily rolled to the left, away from the two of them. The sound of the heavier edges tapping the floor echoed in Edward's ears. It pierced the silence of the half-lit room which made it seem to be louder than a passing locomotive.  
"Astonishing" Edward whispered after he tried to keep it still a few times. She smiled and nodded then turned serious.  
"But you cannot tell anyone about the magic pencil, ok?" She said uncertainly. He smiled at her and said softly "your secret is safe with me."

_We were best friends ever since._

...

**_Didn't she sound strange?_**

_Well, it's hard to say. At the time, it seemed like she was entrusting me with the biggest secret in the world. I was honored._

**_It's still a little weird._**

_We were children._

**_Weird children._**

_We were not weird children. This is our secret, it binds us, our entire friendship is based on this "weird" moment._

_**Alright, alright. Didn't mean for you to be so defensive.** _

_I'm not being defensive, I'm just trying to prove a point._

**_(under breath) You obviously still love her._**

_What? _

**_Hm?_**

_I don't love her. She's my friend, she'll always be my friend._

**_Mmhmm... right... (under breath) because you love her._**

_(sighs) I don't like you._

**_It's not required for the story._ **

**...**


	3. The Necklace

_I read the passage a few times and watched the pencil roll along the floor a few times as well. Never in my life have I experienced such a delightful feeling so quickly. I kept reading on in sheer delight. It was like reading a children's book. I was positively elated. However, the reading became gloomier as I came across an entry referencing one of our most intimate conversations._

**2 December, 1909**

**It seemed it would be a normal day today, but it turned out to be a very emotional one, for Cara at least. I feel awful. But not so much because of what she told me, but because I'm a little happy it happened. Does this make me a terrible person? You may not remember but today she told you about her sister. She died a year ago today. That's why Cara moved here. Am I a bad person to be happy about it since I have her as my friend now? That's how it seems. I am sorry that it happened as it did and about how much their family went through but I'm more happy that they are here now. I hope that is not as bad as I believe it is.**

_I walked over to the Dubliners book once more, taking it with me when I went back to the couch and opened it again. I could picture the necklace before I even saw it. She never told me who made it for her but I know it was her idea to do it. Please understand this: in all of my years I have experienced and caused a significant amount of pain to myself and others. However, to this day, I cannot possibly fathom how much pain Cara could have gone through the day her sister died. I considered this as I slowly lifted the necklace from the inside of the book. The whole conversation started because I noticed the necklace and decided to ask about it. It was a thin, diamond piece of blown glass that was strung on a thin grey ribbon. The glass maintained a tiny volume in order to keep a small memento. The space was occupied by a miniature swatch of half-charred fabric that was secretly torn off of the dress of her sister, Sara's corpse_.

Sarafina Vivas was known in her family only as Sara. She was a stern, tough girl. From a very young age, she was extraordinarily serious. She never laughed without cause or smiled too much. She had a realistic view of the world around her before she even understood it. It was for this reason that she chose to marry so young. At fifteen and a half she was married to a nice, honest, southern factory worker who maintained a charming two bedroom about a mile from the Vivas household in New York City. However, what no one knew about this building was how mistreated and worn the heating systems were. The landlord never kept up with it and just let it go.  
"It is a year today. I cannot believe it has been an entire year. It seemed so long ago." Cara crossed the room and lit a small red candle, placing her sisters picture behind it. She looked almost exactly like Cara, but her face lacked the lightheartedness that seemed to be ever-present in Cara's. I remember my father's reaction the most..." Cara mused sadly as she untied her necklace and placed it in Edward's hand. "My father was so upset for so many reasons. But the biggest reason was that he had nobody to be mad at... It was an accident."  
He stored oil in the lower basement, next to the furnace. He was down there looking for his keys when it happened.  
"She loved our old apartment. She loved it to pieces" a tear slowly rolled down her cheek. Her expression was so serious and far away that the tear seemed misplaced. "We couldn't stay there after what happened." She looked up at Edward with a little smile, "That's why we're here now..."  
Sara was making lunch. Her husband sat at the kitchen table looking out at the little kids playing outside.  
"Everybody said it happened so fast."  
The landlord lit a cigarette and threw the match on the ground. Sara wiped her flour-coated hands on her apron. Her husband turned to her, watching her lovingly.  
"Just one second there..."  
A kid outside clapped his hands, Sara's husband said softly _I love you_ a spark of the furnace stunned the landlord, sending his cigarette on a puddle of spilled car fuel.  
"Then gone." Edward looked at the glass. The fabric that was not burned was white with tiny blue roses. It was so typical.  
"But then... how..." Edward couldn't form the question but she knew how to answer.  
"The police... the police were at our door. We heard the sirens and commotion but we didn't know it was her."  
A slow knock came from the front door of their apartment. Mrs. Vivas opened the door to a young, fidgety cop who removed his cap before he even knocked.  
In a few minutes the three of them ran to Sara's home. Surrounding the curb was a sea of rubberneckers who shamelessly got in the way of firemen, ambulance and police personnel. They were shouted at to move but the opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement of witnessing a possibly fatal accident was too good to miss. Mr. Vivas pushed people away; he was the image of panic. Mrs. Vivas held Cara close to her waist; she felt the need to hold onto whoever she had left of her family. They slowly made their way through the crowd.  
"My father was on his knees when I saw him. He held Sara tight as he wailed and wailed."  
Sara's face was smeared with soot in random small places. Some of her hair was burned off as was some of her dress. Mrs. Vivas held her husband as Cara tore off a piece of fabric from her sister's dress. She stuffed it into her pocket before taking a really good look at her. Her face was emotionless. She was still and without and breath. Her eyes were closed. Close by was her husband: a completely unrecognizable figure. When he heard the boom he jumped in front of her. He suffered the flames but she still suffocated.  
"We must have stood on that street for hours. People cane and went, the fire in the building was slowly extinguished, and the day went on. But we were all so broken." Her face was serious and unmoving. She was back in the moment. No one thought to protect the smallest child. No one thought to leave her home.  
"I'm sorry." Edward said slowly. He opened his hand, realizing how hard he had been squeezing the glass. A streak of red blood ran down his hand. He looked at it with a confused face and slowly looked up at Cara. Her eyes watered as one tear struggled down her cheek. "But can't you..." He looked at his hand again to confirm. When he looked up, Cara had unbuttoned the first two buttons of her dress showing a multitude of tiny scars on her chest. They seemed so harmless, as if from a kitten, but they must have hurt her.

"I cannot forget her... and I never will."

...

I wanted to add an author's note but it would've spoiled the chapter if it was at the beginning so here goes: I chose the name Sarafina very intentionally. The name it comes from, Serafina, is an Italian/Spanish name meaning "the burning one" and since the Vivas are Spanish/Italian it fits so well. and also that it could be shortened to Sara which I wanted for Cara's sister to begin with (for obvious reasons). This chapter is mostly a filler but it's also kind of important because this is not some Romeo and Juliet thing where they fell in love the second they met when they were 8 years old. One: that's weird and gross and second, this is one of, if not the most, important relationship of his life. I don't want it to be a love at first sight romance. They both spilled their guts to each other in some way so that when they got older and more attracted to each other, they were extraordinarily close. I do this because I believe strongly that real romances spark from friendships. Anyway, before I start preaching, the "I love you" in the flashback is _italicized._ That wasn't Edward saying that, I just didn't want to add quotes because they're bulky and I had to distinguish between what Cara was saying and what happened in the few moments before Sara died from the POV of someone who knows everything in the story (me). Also I didn't give her husband a name. It wasn't really intentional I just didn't... If you're one of those people where that's not acceptable (I've met those people) then I always picture him as a Jack. I wasn't sure if I mentioned in the last chapter that the Vivas are from New York. Just in case, I put it there now. It will be important much, much, MUCH later. Anyway, I like Wednesdays so far for weekly updates. I have this terrible habit of working on farther away chapters though. I'm writing this (or trying to) in the same order that you read it. It's much more difficult than it sounds. But thank you for reading, please comment, follow, like, all of the above :D I really hope you guys like this. It's a nice story and even if you don't like Twilight, a lot of this can be the back story for anyone. It's really just the ending chapters that will get Twilight related. Thank you again, updates coming (hopefully) next Wednesday!


	4. The Violin

_The next three books nearly flew by. Every memory became clearer and clearer with each word. It was astounding how happy I was with her. It was to a point where I couldn't remember a time of happiness before Cara. She was my one true happiness. My best friend. I came to one entry towards the middle of the book. It was only a short sentence but it described a life-changing moment of my life._

**17 August 1912,**

**I think I'm in love with her.**

_The ink was dark at the period. I must've kept my pen there for a while before understanding the reality of my statement. I turned to the book and pulled out a thick violin string. It was tied into a neat coil with a piece of old twine. I untied the twine and smoothed the string on a pillow. I turned it a few times until I smelled something odd. I looked closely and found some dried blood stuck on the end of the string. I was at a loss for a few moments. I couldn't remember this night. I studied the blood then looked at the other end. It was old and broken, the fibers would have been simply too weak to hold the string to the instrument. After a little thought, it came back to me._

Since she was about six, Cara wanted to play the violin. She loved the sound of it and the emotion that it tended to bring out of people. But since the Vivas moved away from New York, it was tougher to meet with her violin teacher, Miss Mary Anne Harper. She was an eccentric woman who wore glasses too big for her face and spoke in a screechy bird-like voice. But she knew the violin and she knew Cara was special. They met every other weekend at a mid-way point between Chicago and New York at a music lounge called 'Ohio Sound'. At night, it was a lounge catering to the music appreciators and enthusiasts of Ohio, but in the mornings and afternoons, it was Cara's musical haven. Ms. Harper knew the owner. He was a tall, slender man called Terry who was originally from Detroit. Cara believed Ms. Harper caught his eye which would explain the reason why he always stopped by to offer a compliment or a cold drink. Mrs. Vivas sat in the back of the room quietly gleaming with pride during their long rehearsals. Ms. Harper put everything she had into those rehearsals and Cara soaked everything in. One rehearsal day, Ms. Harper came in happier than usual.

"That's right, there is a music school in Chicago, its all-girls and the Head Mistress wants to see you perform in the 'Music in the Court' concert they hold in their courtyard on the 17th!"

"That's phenomenal, Ms. Harper, but will she be ready?" Ms. Harper made a fart sound with her mouth.

"Allegra!" another fart sound, "Ally!" She sounded insulted, "You and I both know that Cara was born ready! She could out play everyone there with a hand tied to her side and an apple in her mouth!" Cara looked back and forth as the other responded. She was at a loss for words so stayed silent. All she wanted was to finish the lesson and get home to tell Edward.

"And-"

"Wait! I haven't told you the best part! If-" fart sound, "When they fall in love with her, she'll be asked to study with them as a Student of Honour, so she'll stay there for free!" Ms. Harper clapped her hands together with glee.

"For how long?" Mrs. Vivas narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Only about two weeks unfortunately. I couldn't get any more because she's so young. But still, it is an amazing opportunity that some can only dream of." Mrs. Vivas looked at Cara who had been so excited she nearly forgot to breathe.

"Then I suppose you ought to practice." Mrs. Vivas cooed as she handed Cara's violin to her.

...

"Oh, you'll come won't you?" Cara pleaded the night before the concert. "Say you will." Cara fanned herself with her sheet music as she stretched out on Edward's bed. Since both their fathers worked late that night, both their mothers decided to go dress shopping. They were given specific instructions to watch each other and not to burn the building to the ground.

"I will, Cara. I told you I would." Edward said happily as he rearranged the books on his bookshelf. Cara looked up at him and studied the order.

"Year of publication?"

"Close, year read." Cara sucked her teeth and stared at the ceiling. I know, I know, I just want to make sure you won't forget. This has been a dream of mine for half my life Eddie!" She folded the corners of her sheet music, suddenly looking solemn. Edward looked back at her.

"What troubles you?"

"Nothing..."

"Liar." He smiled playfully and turned to face her.

"Well..." she sat up on the bed, looking down at the floor, "what if they do not care for me...?" She sighed and smoothed out the sheet music. When she looked up, Edward was kneeling in front of her.

"If they know anything... anything at all... they will know that you're amazing." Edward smiled and took the sheet music from her hands and studied it. He looked puzzled after a moment. "What song is this?" He looked through the sheets, "It has no name."

"I wrote it... I wrote it for them." She nervously bit her lip and played with her nails, "Should I perform something else? I know most of the Concertos by heart, I can-"

"No..." Edward looked up from the sheet, "this is perfect." It was the first time Edward ever used the word 'perfect' to describe anything of Cara's, and never again would he think any other word would be sufficient.

...

The courtyard was full of Chicago's elite. Woman and men dressed in their finest attire, eating tiny bits of food that probably cost the same as a new car. Edward Sr. and Elizabeth sat next to each other in the second row, holding hands tight. Neither of them cared very much for classical music but both considered the concert to be a date, even though Edward sat in front of them in the first row. Edward combed his hair back and wore a white shirt without any dirt or stain present on it. Before long, a middle-aged woman with tall hair walked onto the small stage they built on the grounds.

"Hellloooo... and welcome to the annual 'Music in the Court' concert celebration. I am the Head Miss-tress of this fine establishment, Miss-tress Giuliana Henrietta Antoinette Jacqueline Maria Françoise-DeForte but to-night... my young pu-pills... I will be your host. To-night... we honour our graduates, alumni and incoming students. Please applaud, if you will, for all our guests here to-night." She touched her fingers together repeatedly, barely making any sound. The others in the audience did the same, creating a hushed applause. "Yes... settle, settle..." it ceased, "love-lay... now. Our first pre-former graduated..." Edward tuned out quickly. He knew that Cara would be the very last one since the addition was made so last minute.

Edward looked around at the crowd after about fifteen minutes of music that he didn't pay attention to. He noticed that many of the audience members watched with pursed lips and squinted eyes. He looked towards the back to see Mrs. Vivas sitting at the edge of her seat next to a sleeping Mr. Vivas. He looked around towards the stage. He thought he saw the back of Cara's head but he wasn't sure. Cara looked everywhere for her peculiar teacher but found no sign of her. Finally, a figure that seemed to match hers was hovered over a corner of the backstage area.

"Ms. Harper?" Cara whispered as loud as possible. Ms. Harper looked up from the snack table. "Ms. Harper, where were you?"

"Oh, my dearest, I've been here of course!" She stuffed a handful of items into her small purse.

"Ms. Harper, it's not polite to take so much food if you won't eat it yet."

"Oh, don't be absurd, darling, I'm simply taking some toothpicks!" She opened her hand, revealing a small heap of rounded toothpicks. "The food is well below my personal standards but these toothpicks are brilliant! So luxurious! And there's so many!" She plucked them off the hors d'oeuvres one by one and shoved them into her pockets, "you never know!" She let out a strange giggle. Cara shook her head, changing the subject to the more important matter.

"Well, Ms. Harper, have you seen my violin?"

"Your what, dear?"

"My violin, Ms. Harper"

"Oh..." she made a perfect lower case 'o' with her lips.

"You told me to leave it with you so you can polish it..."

"Oh! Dearie dovey do, yes yes yes yes, I do believe it is... under my bag... backstage, best to scurry, loves, you're almost up."

Cara said a quick 'thank you' and hurried along, finding Ms. Harper's tinsel-covered music bag with ease. She lifted it to find a beaten up violin case. She opened it quickly to find...

"This is not my violin..." Cara plucked at the string and cut her finger slightly, "ow..." she sucked in a breath, immediately putting her finger in her mouth, sucking out the blood to make it stop. The strings were sharp and too tight. She looked around for her case but couldn't find it. "Damn..." she knew immediately that Ms. Harper took the wrong one but had no time to do anything about it. She had to work with this one. She tested the violin, it was properly tuned already, no need to tune it at all. She held the violin tight and made herself ready to walk to the stage. A hushed clapping gave her a signal to begin making her way to the stage. This was her dream coming true.

"Pretty girls first." The previous performer, a snooty red haired girl, scoffed as she walked down the stairs of the stage, pushing Cara's shoulder back slightly. Cara took a step back but the strap of the girls shoe caught with the hem of Cara's dress and within an instant, ripped off the last tier of her skirt, shortening it up to her mid-thigh. The two froze as the Head Mistress announced the piece Cara was meant to perform.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," Edward sat up in his chair but then felt something in his shoe so bent over to get it out. Mrs. Vivas pushed her husband's shoulder which made him produce a loud snore before sitting up straight at attention. "Here is one of our pro-spective students who will pre-form a Concerto, I'm sure you aallll remember… Vieuxtemps' Concerto No. 5 in A minor… please applaud." Another muffled applause, but between the Masens, Vivas and Ms. Harper, it was much louder than the others. The six of them received annoyed glares from audience members.

The last streaks of sunlight stretched along the stage as Cara stepped onto it. She felt a warm breeze hit her knees, she enjoyed it. The audience simultaneously let out a small gasp and a few whispers were heard from the crowd. The Head Mistress raised her eyebrows and put a hand over her mouth. Cara noticed the reaction but it didn't matter to her, she accepted her misfortunes and refused to let them get the better of her. The sun inched lower in the sky as a few streetlights began to turn on. Edward looked up on the stage as the burnt orange light illuminated Cara's face and she began to play. Edward's breath caught in his throat.

The piece Cara wrote had the same beginning as the aforementioned piece; however a few more flourishes were added along with a slower waltz-style rhythm and a more romantic melody. Edward was enchanted and overwhelmed. His heart steadily pumped faster and faster. The shorter skirt drew the attention to her tiny waist and then to her elegant legs. Her hair was straight then spiraled into curls at the ends. He swayed to the sound like a charmed snake, not once taking his eyes off of her. He knew her for years; yet he was just seeing her for the first time. The piece came to an end and when the music stopped, Edward stood up quickly and clapped loudly. He was joined by his parents, Cara's parents and Ms. Harper, nobody else made a sound. Cara smiled sweetly at Edward and lowered her violin from her shoulder in preparation for a polite curtsy. As it descended towards the ground, her finger put a little too much pressure on the third string, snapping it off and lashing her side. Cara froze. The Head Mistress made her way onto the middle of the stage.

"Thank you… Goodnight." She said stiffly and pulled Cara by the arm off the stage. In a few moments, people resumed light, pompous conversations and the Head Mistress stood in front of Ms. Harper.

"Mary… Anne! How in God's great name could you allow this petulant child to stroll onto my stage of class and elegance looking like one of those mangy sall-ooon girls and positively ruining one of our greatest pre-formed masterpieces! How could you?" Cara was shoved over to Ms. Harper, holding onto her side, beginning to feel the pain. "And did you happen to no-tice that diss-gusting pile of wood that she calls a violin? This is a diss-grace!" Mr. and Mrs. Vivas walked over with Mr. and Mrs. Masen, Edward following behind them. "Mary-Anne, you have diss-graced me, you have diss-graced this institution, AND you have diss-graced your-self by bringing this horr-ible child to us!" Mr. and were taken aback with offense. Ms. Harper was fuming. Mr. and Mrs. Masen were horrified. Edward looked at Cara who was ominously quiet and still. A volcano moments away from eruption.

"Head. Mistress!" Cara nearly shouted, turning to her to give her a terrible glare, "If I am not at all mistaken, the only thing that has disgraced you tonight was the performances. Every single one was littered with missed chords and inappropriate pauses. Every piece was either ill-prepared for or entirely too simple for the reputation of this institution. In fact, I was the only one who had any sort of passion for the music. Now my dress is torn, and my violin is old, but I should not be the source of your shame tonight." Cara walked off, feeling the full pain of the lash, realizing that the string still stayed at her side. The Vivas and Masens followed her as Edward rushed to her and held her waist, letting her lean on him.

"I don't even want your stupid toothpicks anyway." Ms. Harper threw a handful of toothpicks at the Head Mistress' feet; she stumbled back in pure disgust as little bits of food splattered on the end of her cream-coloured dress.

"I will have your teaching license revoked!" she screamed after Ms. Harper as she turned to leave. "You will never be allowed to teach any-one... any-thing... ever!"

"What license?" Ms. Harper snorted, pushing up her large glasses and strutting away.

...

I kind of like this whole thing of doing the little blurb after the actual story... it's good just in case there's any sort of spoilers and stuff. But I think I may do it regular next time. I haven't been adding any Me-Edward convos because I didn't like the one for The Pencil. I want them to be funny so I'm just waiting until I'm writing one day and think of a snide comment to say and turn that into a thing. This chapter was like the impossible chapter, last night around 1 in the morning, I decided to go half-way through the chapter and since I hand-write them before hand, I still had to type it on the phone and it just turned into a big mess. But it's good now and I really like how it turned out. It's longer which I really wanted, I thought the others were a bit too Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am, but this is good. It's a very important chapter since he falls in love and everything like that. Also you see a bit of Cara's backbone which is good. She's not a push-over, she's a very sweet girl but holds her own. If anyone has ever seen the series Firefly, I see Cara as a young Inara-Kaylee, very alluring and strong but sweet and happy-go-lucky. In fact, when I picture this whole thing, it reminds me of the party in the episode "Shin-dig". Especially with the whole mean girls aspect and nice guys (just Edward, I guess) swooping in to make her feel better. So ya... that's where that is... oh, if you notice, names are incredibly important to me. I finally found a good name for Cara's mother (Allegra) which in Italian directly translates to "happy" which I'm aiming for as her personality type... also she is Italian which is great. After I think of a name for Cara's father I'll drop the 'Mr. and Mrs.' all together because we don't need all those formalities. I chose The Mary Anne Harper name because I was inspired by the SNL skit with Neil Patrick Harris when he did the "Two-First-Names" talk show. It was so strange and awkward that I immediately thought of her. As for the pompous head mistress, I kept adding names and last names so when she said it all together she'd need another breath (hence the dots). The snooty girl who ripped Cara's dress I didn't give her a name since she was directly based on a girl I went to high school with who actually said that to one of my friends. So just in case she reads this, no names. Terry was used because it's a nice-guy type of name. I've never heard of anyone having problems with a "Terry" (if you have, don't tell me, I don't want to ruin the illusion). Anyway, keep reading and commenting, it really makes my day when I see the views going up and up and the followers and reviews, I'm just so happy that you guys are reading. But, stay tuned for next week, maybe possibly an appearance from our favorite doctor ever, Doctor Cullen? Hmm? yes? okay! I'm trying to add in characters that are actually in Stephanie Meyer's books but I haven't read in a while and I'm lazy. But I've done some crazy stuff for you guys already so you never know. But enough of my ramblings. Just thank you and keep reading, commenting and following, more to come later on!


	5. The Night

Another impossible chapter finished again. Correct me if I'm wrong but it's almost always the fillers that really slow down the writing process. But still, I'm pretty sure from here on in, there are not too many fillers because soon I'll be finishing some of the chapters that I started whilst procrastinating the fillers. So this is my promise to you, my dear readers: it's about to go down... (that's a Kevin Hart reference, please look him up if you don't know who he is) Anyway, I noticed that the lions share of my readers are American which is why I wait until midnight American time to post which is stupid but that's okay. Umm... as you will see, I gave Cara's father a name so no more Mr./ Mrs.! Yey! (I hated typing that) Desi, short for Desidero translates to longing which fits him since he longs for Cara's happiness and Allegra's attention and his late daughter. But slightly more than that, it is the name of the great 50's Cuban comedian, Desi Arnaz whose accent I always think of when writing about Cara's father. Anyway, this chapter begins from where the last one left off and does not have another entry. It only features a small cameo of Edward's narration. The next one I'm really going to change it up though. So stay tuned for more, I hope you enjoy this and please keep reading and commenting, thank you so much and goodnight my fellow insomniacs!

...

After a very silent car ride home, Cara was afraid to look at her hand. She had no idea exactly how deep the lash went but to Cara, it felt like it wrapped around her vertebrae. She also wasn't sure of how long it would be until someone else noticed. She went up to her room as quickly as possible, examining her wound in the mirror. There was a lot of blood around her dress so she took it off, putting on a shirt that she tied so it wouldn't touch the blood and a skirt that sat lower on her waist than her others did. The ensemble was more comfortable than before which she greatly appreciated. She took a small towel by her bedside and held it over the wound. The pain came in waves now: beginning very mild then avalanching into a crippling blow. She ran to the bathroom down the hall, making a large boom when it slammed behind her. Edward looked towards the hall when he heard the noise. He walked towards the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Umm... yes...?" Cara said, sounding hurt,

"Cara, are you alright? I'm really sorry about the concert but-"

"Come in..." she said softy unlocking the door and letting it open a little. Edward walked in, immediately noticing the blood on her hands and the white cloth at her side that was now half red. Any normal child Edward's age might simply run out and call for help. But Edward didn't. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind until much later that night. But in the moment, Edward simply took off his evening jacket, placed it over the bathtub, and rolled his sleeves up his arms. He sat next to Cara on the floor and studied the injury.

_I fixed her. Well, I did what I could with the knowledge that I had at the time but for the most part, I did fix her. I certainly cleaned the wound better than one may expect._

Edward lightly dabbed around the cut with a damp cloth, getting all the excess blood from her side off.

"Eddie, do you know what I think?"

"What do you think?"

"I think that school won't accept my application." She looked serious for a moment then they both laughed. "I'm so..." she laughed a little more than relaxed, "I'm so glad you were there for it... that was exactly how I imagined the song would sound." She smiled.

"You mean you didn't practice it?" Edward said amazed.

"No... I didn't... I wanted to hear it with everyone else. Like a surprise." She looked down at the string, "I think the real surprise was that violin." She laughed, "I've never seen a more beaten up violin before." Edward smiled a little and delicately cleaned a little closer to the cut.

"I never saw it." He said softly. Cara smiled and blushed softly, "you looked beautiful... you know that, right?" He looked up at her for a moment and smiled before getting back to the cut. She opened her mouth to speak but was bombarded with a sharp pain.

"Ow!" She said trying to keep her voice down. Edward bit his lip hard.

"My apologies... are you alright?"

"Yes..." Cara sucked in a breath, "yes, yes, it's fine."

Edward examined the wound and shook his head a little, "I am so sorry but I have to take it out to clean it properly..." he looked around and grabbed another clean towel. "Here, bite this..." he handed it to Cara who looked nervous and slightly pain-stricken. She took the outstretched towel.

"I trust you..." she said softly and bit the end of the towel as hard as she could.

Edward sucked in a breath and very slowly and carefully pulled the string from her side. He quickly realized its sharpness so held it with the cleaning towel. He looked up at her mid-way to see her eyes starting to water. He bit down hard and pulled it out swiftly. Cara let out a loud gasp-whimper hybrid that caught the attention of Elizabeth.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked concerned. Cara nodded as a tear slowly rolled down her cheek. Edward looked down at his hands, his fingertips stained with Cara's blood. "Well, the string is out." Cara sighed relieved and looked at Edward.

"Thank you." Cara purred and smiled a little. In a moment, Elizabeth opened the door to the bathroom.

"Cara, are you okay, I heard-" she screamed as loud as she could upon seeing the bloody rags and open wound.

...

The local hospital was a seldom visited building walking distance from their home. Based on where they lived in the city, one may believe that the hospital would be ever-crowded. Yet, generally, people who were ill or suffering frequented the hospital about ten minutes away because of their more up-to-date equipment and younger staff. However, for their purposes, the Masens always went to the same hospital and for that matter, saw the same doctor. He was a tall man with fair skin and golden eyes. His hair was a pale blonde and his smile was warm and comforting. His name was Doctor Carlisle Cullen and he was just as much a part of the Masen family as Edward was.

"Well, Edward, I admire your expertise." Dr. Cullen said while walking through the doors holding a few papers.

"What do you mean?" Edward said confused. He sat across from Cara in a small, uncomfortable chair while both their parents waited outside the room, per Cara's request.

"Well, you cleaned the cut spotless." Dr. Cullen pat Edward on the back lightly and walked towards Cara, "You have done my job for me." He turned to Cara, "All I need to do is add a couple sutures and you are free to go. "I'll go tell your parents so they don't worry." He smiled and left the room.

"Well look at that," Cara smiled, "you could be the future 'Doctor Masen'" she giggled, Edward rolled his eyes, "what?"

"I want to be a solider." He said proudly.

"Really?" There was a pause, "but... why?" He sighed and thought for a moment, scratching the back his head.

"I have always wanted to protect people. I never thought of anything else... I love..." he stopped himself for a moment; her face was so doleful, "this... country..." Cara looked at the floor before taking in a deep breath.

"But... you could die..." she looked up at him; the pain in her eyes seemed to pierce his very soul. He opened his mouth to speak as the door opened and Carlisle strolled in once again. The two of them jumped at the sudden sound and looked up.

"Okay then, ready?" He asked cheerfully. Carlisle liked his job, you saw that whenever he spoke and in everything he does in his field. Edward got up from his chair and waved lightly, signaling his departure.

"Wait." Cara looked from Carlisle to Edward, "umm... can Edward stay here?" Her nose twitched slightly, "I never got sutures before..." Carlisle shrugged; the request itself seemed normal but held a heavier weight than usual.

"Sure," Carlisle said lightly. He turned his back to thread the needle; Edward made his way back to the chair and moved closer to Cara's bed, "you get to learn about some of the procedure Edward." Carlisle turned to grin a little at Edward and promptly turned back to the needle. Cara looked at Edward as she took a hold of his hand and gave him that same cat-like smile that he saw so many years before. The only difference was that now, it seemed to be the most adorable face he had ever seen someone make. She stroked his thumb twice before Carlisle turned around. She weakly squeezed his hand and relaxed in her cot. Edward's heart beat so loud and fast, he could have sworn that she heard it.

"So what happened?" Carlisle enquired a few stitches later. Cara smiled, already finding the whole event funny.

"I was playing for these awful people and a string from the violin broke off into my side," she smiled at Edward, "but Edward was able to take it out."

"You play violin?"

"Sure do."

"And she's amazing." Edward chimed in.

"But you're so young." Carlisle said impressed.

"Youngest in my class." Cara said holding her chin up a little higher.

"Really? How many in the class?"

"Oh, just me. I take private lessons." Carlisle grinned as he pulled the thread tight and knotted it.

"Well," he cut the thread and sat back in his chair, "if you are ever available, we always welcome people to come in every so often and spend time with the more permanent patients who don't often get visitors. It would be wonderful if you could play for them." Cara smiled wide.

"I would love to." She smiled and examined the sutures. "Thank you Doctor Cullen."

"Anytime." Carlisle took off his gloves, "and feel free to come back at anytime you want. I'm here most of the time. Just try to keep the strings on the violin." He laughed quietly at his own joke and left the room.

...

Later on Edward and Cara sat side by side in a place where they considered to be their own. On the rooftop of the building, there was a small area of planted grass which was placed and forgotten on that rooftop since before the Masens got there. It still stayed green despite the fact that no one watered it. However, it was nice to see so anyone who ever noticed it never thought to remove it. In front of the grass was a long park bench, another item that seemed to have no place on a townhouse rooftop. But this was their place. It was quiet and beautiful at night. They sometimes stood next to the edge of the roof to watch the people walk by but often just sat at the bench.

"What a strange day." Edward mused, watching the figures move around on the streets.

"Yes, from music to... mayhem," she giggled, "That shall be the title of this strange day. She did not join him for people-watching but stayed near the grass, writing something in the gravel with a rock. From the downstairs kitchen, Cara's mother spoke loudly to her husband.

"I think tomorrow I will make something American for dinner."

"Why American? There is no... ughh... Como se dice sabor?"

"Flavor, Desi."

"Ahh, jes, flavor. No flavor, my love."

"But we live in America! We should eat American."

"I don't think people are caring about what we eat, honey."

"You know," Edward said walking towards Cara, "I am a little bit glad that they did not like you." He sat down next to Cara and looked at her as she concentrated on her rock etching, "I would be awfully bored if I had to listen to your parents' strange and possibly coded conversations on my own." In the background, the Vivas continued on about food.

"Me too." Cara said blowing dust off the ground and tossing the rock to the side, "I'd miss you a lot." He looked down at the floor. Scratched into the ground was a plain heart, no writing around it or messages within, just a simple heart. Cara studied it like an expensive painting at a museum; "I think I'll add more to it later." She looked at him with a smile. "I'm so happy you could be there today, Eddie." He smiled at her. A smile that lit up his entire face.

"I wouldn't have missed it." He chuckled and began to imitate the Head Mistress, "Aannnddd, I thank youu for playing, although I did purssee my liips when your dress was ripped because I am a stiff woman with a million namess!" Cara laughed hard.

"Yes! You noticed!"

"Who didn't notice? I never thought someone could take an hour to introduce yourself!"

"Heelloooo!" Cara said in an over-the-top, posh voice. "I am your Head Miss-Tress!"

"Yeeesss, I am Mary, Eliza, Beth, Jennifer, Roxanne, Linda, Marie, Kathy, you name it, I have that name!" Edward said and then laughed so hard he nearly snorted. Cara laughed for a while and sighed.

"I'm so happy to be away from them." She looked at Edward and took his hand again. "Which means," she moved closer to him and lifted his arm. She put it over her shoulders, leaning her head against him, "we still have our rooftop for a while longer." She smiled and relaxed in his arms. The stars were bright and beautiful above them, the air was fresh around them, everything was flawless in their small slice of perfection on their rooftop.


	6. The Confidant

Hello my most dearest readers. I trust that people have been liking what they have been reading and have shared your enthusiasm with friends, coworkers, enemies, and random passers-by on the streets of your hometown like some breed of psychotic beggar. But besides all that, I hope you enjoy this chapter since it is exceptionally different in comparison to the others, and, more importantly, exclusive to this chapter only! So please note that the next chapter will follow along as usual but this is different. Alright, so, in the_ italics_ is now Jasper's narration. The normal font is still my narration and the** bold** is simply an inscription, which is also pretty normal but slightly different. I always imagined Jasper as the calmer one of everybody since he is burdened with everyone else's emotions because life usually works like that. If you are one of those people who worship Alice and Don't want her put in a bad light then forgive me. I like her too but I imagine planning a wedding will cause a personality shift in anyone, not excluding Alice. So there's that. I also wanted to point out that I am actually doing this quite early since I was very inspired this week. See, I have the basic scenes written out and a list of the chapter titles but if I want to add something then I have to add a new chapter and its a huge mess but this time (since it was an added chapter) it goes in seamlessly because although Jasper's part is not important now, it will be much much much later on in the story. This chapter is mostly flashback and I say that because we have to remember that Carlisle is out with Esme and Bella at this point so when you see him talking, it's not a present moment. Just making sure that's clear. Right? Okay. Please comment, follow, favorite, do whatever you like as long as you enjoy the reading, it really is quite brilliant when it all comes together.

_Since I am hypersensitive to the emotions of others, I find it to be in my best interest when I can find time to myself and take a walk in the woods. Generally there is no family present, nor are many humans present so there is no struggle of temptation. I enjoy these walks greatly. It is an opportunity to clear my head and provide myself relaxation. Today's walk seemed to be exceptionally soothing which was helpful considering what I was about to face once I walked through the door._

_Before I even turned the key, I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and nervous-joy generally associated with a crush. I grinned a little as I made my way to Alice's and my bedroom. I was certain I was picking this up from Carlisle and Esme since I usually do. But I stopped mid-step when realized a strange truth. They were gone. Gone with Bella to feed her and possibly cease this guilt-fueled fast that she imposed upon herself. Once I realized this, I explored the possibilities by walking past the bedrooms and the very first one gave me my answer._

_I glanced into Edward's room to find him lying down on his couch, ankles crossed, his nose buried deep into the pages of a medium-sized black leather book. Next to him was a stack of identical ones. I recognized them immediately and slowly stepped away from the door._

Jasper opened the door of the attic and cleared a stray spider web before walking in. The room itself was dusty and grey, as all attics are, but this one was more valuable than most. Every single one of them (apart from Bella and Nessie, of course) has been in the habit of collecting various items throughout their immortal lives. Items that for many would be profitable on the market, but no one has felt the need to part with any of it. Jasper passed by an old standing drawer case full of Carlisle's old surgical instruments from the late 1800's and early 1900's. Alice kept a closet of modern clothes in their bedroom, however in the attic, she also collected an armload of her favorite dresses from her human years. Jasper had to stop for a second to admire his own collection of Civil War rifles that were left by the fallen Union soldiers he used to feast upon after he was changed. The attic was an oasis of antiques and probably the smallest, most modest and forgotten collection was Edward's. Jasper moved a few boxes out of the way and pulled out, from under an old Victorian table, a small, loosely closed box. Jasper opened the box slightly and felt around for the shape and weight of the item he wanted to see. When he found it, he pulled it out and stood up, holding it up to the light. He closely studied the picture, noticing the happiness present in the youthfully human face of a young fourteen-year old Edward. He held the waist of a girl about his age who smiled at him in the picture. He took the picture out of the frame and turned it to read the back.

**Edward, Cara, 31 October 1915**

He replaced the picture and put it back inside the box, pushing it back under the table. He learned about Cara just about a week before Bella and Edward's wedding.

Since Alice was given the job to plan the wedding, Bella basically gave her a free pass to control every minute of every second of the lives of her housemates until the newlywed couple said their final 'goodbyes' before heading off to their honeymoon. Although Jasper was not too fond of Alice's sudden change from cute wife to Russian dictator, he still would do anything for her, including:

"Jas, I want you to go to the attic and get Bella something old of ours."

"But how will I know what to-"

"JUST DO IT!" Alice stormed off in a stress-induced rage. It's a shame they never sleep.

Jasper sluggishly made his way into the attic and looked through boxes of junk until he came across one that was relatively concealed and very dusty. Upon looking through it he found many small, seemingly worthless items, but could serve the purpose well enough. He found a few hair pins that were embellished with a pearl on the end, he found a pair of white gloves in pristine condition, a few old scarves that were half-knit, a ribbon from a hat and some very old books. He began to lose interest when a down-facing picture frame caught his eye. He picked it up, surprised by the weight, he realized the frame was real silver. He turned it to see the picture, at the same time, Carlisle walked in.

"Hello, Jasper." he walked by carrying some boxes, "I didn't know you were here."

"I didn't know Alice recruited you to help me."

"Oh, no, she probably didn't, I just wanted to come up here to..." he looked around as he considered different euphemisms, "give Alice some room."

"Ahh." Jasper nodded, understandingly and turned to Carlisle, "What do you think of this for something old?" Jasper gave the picture to Carlisle and turned to close the box. "It isn't that old but I think it's a nice picture of Bella and Edward." he struggled putting on the cover of the box without breaking it so simply draped a sheet over it to keep dust out, "I suppose we could put it on the food table or copy the picture onto the invitations or something." Jasper turned to Carlisle, "What do you... what?" Jasper noticed his worried aura and expression.

"Where did you get this?" he asked ominously. Jasper pointed to the box and Carlisle immediately went to it, looking through it hastily. "I thought he got rid of this..." Carlisle sighed and looked at jasper who looked concerned now.

"Carlisle, what's wrong?" Jasper asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. Carlisle sighed and turned to Jasper.

"Son... have you ever done something that you knew was wrong, but you were only trying to help... but it only made the problem worse?" Carlisle looked down at the picture, hurt in his eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"Jasper, this girl is not Bella."

"What do you mean it's not Bella?" Jasper asked suspiciously. Carlisle took out the picture from the frame and turned it over for him to read.

"Jasper... this is not Bella." Carlisle said gravely as Jasper looked from Carlisle's face to the date and names on the back. Jasper took the photo and studied it closely. The people behind them dressed in period clothing as did they. The picture was taken in an apartment-style room filled with people who were all unfamiliar. Carlisle removed the dust cover from two chairs and offered one seat to Jasper as he sat in one.

"But then..." Jasper looked at the name on the photo, "who is Cara?"

"If I tell you about her, Jasper, you must swear to never mention her name again... I have not said it in decades... the memory is much too painful for your brother to bear." Jasper nodded and sat down on the chair beside Carlisle.

_I can't help but cringe now seeing that box. It holds a few salvaged remnants of a life that should've been forgotten. But as much as I felt awful about what they went through, I feel worse for him now. He hides this box and those journals from others hoping no one ever mentions her again. As much happiness as Bella has given him, it will always be outweighed by the memory of Cara. Carlisle was right those years ago: it should've been burned with everything else they kept of hers. As I walked out of the attic and back towards the bedrooms I looked back into Edward's room, the emotions haunting me as I drew nearer. He barely moved. I can't help but think that this reminiscence of his will lead to something problematic. I hope it doesn't. For everyone's sake._


	7. The Quill

I'm very happy that I've been getting these out earlier, it makes me happy as a writer and I hope as well that it pleases you as readers. I know that I always look forward to new installments in fanfics but they're usually not very regular. This story is a lot of fun to do and I'm so glad that others like it as well. I implore the readers, however, to comment. I really want to improve the story and I know how it ends, but I'd really love to have some feedback on how it is for you all, if you like it and even if you don't. I cater to my readers and want nothing else but your satisfaction with my story... well, I'd also like a television that gives you food but okay. I think I will start a poll later tonight and I'll keep it up until the Tuesday after this coming one so 13 days, I suppose? Yes. See, there's a character coming in soon but I can't decide on his last name. So I give it to you. Oh, a little disclaimer, in the chapter, there are two songs mentioned: one is a song called El Capotín which is a Puerto Rican folk song from my Spanish friends. Even though the Vivas are Cuban, I feel that people in the coffee world would know it. Also the song Edward plays which I feel would be closest to Chopin's Etude Opus 25 with some minor changes, of course. Also the Pilon brand of coffee is mentioned along with the founder (I believe), I own nothing of any of these brands or songs. His line in the story (without me trying to write out a thick Cuban accent) is: "This next one is for Cara, I know she used to like this song." And the rest is just elongated to show that people are singing. For those who don't know, Pilon is a Cuban coffee which will keep you bouncing on the walls for nine hours. Again, I know it via my Spanish friends who swear by it. It's too strong for me. Anyway, that's basically it. Please comment, that's all I ask. And watch for the poll as I need all the opinions I can. Thanks for reading!

...

**31 October, 1915**

**I will never forget how beautiful she was when I went to her room midnight just so I could be the first person she sees on her fifteenth birthday. I will never forget the look her face when I gave her the present she loved so much. But more than anything, I'll never forget her kiss. And now that I've experienced it, I know I'll always yearn for it.**

"I suppose a warm 'Happy Birthday' is in order." Edward said with a wide grin after a half asleep Cara joined him on the fire escape outside her room.

"Thank you," she giggled sleepily, "but it's really not so important." She stifled a yawn and held the sides of her dress to keep it from swaying in the wind.

"Oh, but it is." He held a soft, misshapen cookie in his hand with a single flickering candle in the middle of it which he shielded from the wind with his hand. "Make a wish." He said happily. He set it in her palm and the candle blew out. They both laughed.

"Or not," she smiled and pulled out the candle, "but what else could I possibly want other than spending a cold midnight with my best friend?" She took a bite from the cookie and raised her eyebrows. "Mm! Give my compliments to your mother. These are better than usual!" She hungrily took another bite.

"I would only it was not her this time." He grinned proudly as she kept chewing.

"You?"

"Why yes." He smiled and held her shoulders tenderly, "wait here." She made a full-mouthed sound and he disappeared in his room for a moment, appearing again with a white box wrapped with a single robin's egg blue ribbon.

"Wha-"

"Now, it is your birthday so your choice: there is this box for you, which I can give you anywhere... or, a second present, for which you must accompany me downstairs for. Which first? Or, perhaps both at the same time?" He smiled at her as she quickly weighed her options.

"Both!" She said elated.

"I was hoping you might say that."

In a few minutes, they stood in the heart of the storage room. The room itself was not closed off to tenants, but it was discouraged from using. The lock was broken so getting in quietly was nothing. They dodged half-broken crates and dusty old furniture until they got to the beautiful grand piano. The wood was a rich mahogany and shiny since the owner cleaned it regularly. It was the owner's most prized possession but never played it. Edward sat down at the stool and put the box in her hands. Quietly as he could, he began to rhythmically touch the ivories gently, trying to stay quiet.

"Open it," he prompted looking at her. She sat on a corner of the stool and looked down at the box. Secretly, she was trying to figure out which song he was playing.

"What is it?"

"Open it, I cannot tell you."

"No, this piece."

"Exactly. I will not say until you open it, and then both your presents will be revealed." She untied the ribbon, letting it fall gracefully to the floor. She opened the box to find

"It's a box..." she held it up disappointedly. The black box seemed to have no decorations, openings or even seams. It was much too light to hold anything else inside. Edward maintained his grin. He took one hand from the piano keys and pushed a small button on the side of the box. There was a 'click' sound as a compartment opened on the side of the box facing her. She looked inside and smiled, removing a black-feather quill. She examined it closely; it was a work of art. She turned it over and found a shortened peacock feather nestled in the center. She stroked the feather, it was soft and beautiful. She adored the beautiful bird as much as the birthday gift she was holding at the moment. She turned to him and he gave her a warm smile.

"And this song, I wrote for you. I haven't named it yet. But..." he resolved the melody with an enchanting flourish and slowed to a close as he turned to face her. "It's for you. Happy birthday." She looked from the quill to his face to the piano. Her throat was dry and her heart raced. How could she ever possibly express what was going through her mind at the moment? She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. She kissed his cheek and coming out of the hug, kissed his lips softly.

"I love it." She said breathlessly, "I love it so much. Thank you Eddie, I couldn't have asked for anything better." She took his hand and squeezed it, her smile beamed with glee.

_I remember how I couldn't sleep that night. I didn't want to. I was afraid that it was a dream. I couldn't chance waking up from it. But it wasn't. It was our first kiss and I couldn't have asked for a better one. I remember that day so clearly. I even remember that party that her parents threw her that night._

_..._

The streets from their building to four blocks away were packed with shiny black cars from fender to bumper. Both sides of Cara's entire family were invited with only about a half of each actually attending. Edward was still stunned by the turnout.

"You should have seen Sara's wedding." She commented as they looked out on to the streets from their rooftop, "it seemed like all of New York came to that." She smiled and played with her hair. She was not yet dressed for the occasion, she still had time. But her mother took the liberty of doing her hair at 7 o'clock that morning in preparation for an 8 o'clock at night party. The logic made sense to only her mother, but it allowed Edward to admire a small portion of her beauty for a while. As people got out of their cars and into the building, she recognized some of them and identified them to Edward. Some names were Italian while others were Spanish. Either way, he was enchanted by the way she spoke. "See that really tall man?" She pointed to a man coming out of his car, rushing over to open the passenger door for a lovely woman around his age.

"Yes."

"That's Manuel Bacuaro. He's famous in Cuba for making coffee. Everybody in my father's family says that one day he will be the most powerful man in Cuba." They both watched him as he walked in. Desi took one look at him and hugged him tight. Allegra and Manuel's wife hugged tightly as well before going inside. The two men stayed outside to speak excitedly to each other.

_When one first met Cara and her family, one believed they were very average with average wealth. They lived in the upstairs portion of a townhouse in the nicer area of Chicago. They wore clothes that looked decent on them despite their simplicity and lack of embellishment. In Cara's case, a lot of her dresses were designed and made by her hand. They had one car and always kept it very presentable. But no matter how shiny the car or beautiful their small home was, no one ever considered that they were incredibly wealthy. But they were and it was due to that man, Manuel Bacuaro._

When Cara's father was very young, living in Cuba with his mother and eight siblings, he would walk from one side of the island to the other every week to buy coffee for his mother. When he complained about it to Mr. Bacuaro, it gave him an idea to increase profit and convince for customers. Since then, he gave Desi a percentage of every coffee sale, giving him enough money to move him and his family from the slums of Cuba to America. Even today, the Pilon coffee brand grows, meaning that the Vivas family fortune grows with it.

"I would just like to welcome everyone to our home tonight," There was a loud cheer, cutting off Allegra from continuing. She smiled and clapped happily as they began to settle down. "Our beautiful daughter is fifteen today, and as... at least half of you know," group laughter, "this is her coming of age." Another cheer. Allegra smiled and laughed, before shouting out "Happy birthday!" And giving up the heartfelt announcement she originally planned as she rejoined her husband by the table of food. Quietly, they toasted to Cara's health. Manuel Bacuaro sat at the piano and began to play a loud upbeat tune.

"Dis nec juan es for Caaara, I know she useda like dis song.." he smiled and kept playing. His wife sat next to him on the stool he looked at her and began to serenade her. "Iiiii giveeeee tooo jjuuuu... mmmyyy deeeaaarr loveelllyyy ladyy,"

"For your pleassuree, I bringg youu," she chimed in melodically.

"THIS CUP OF MY FIINEST BREW, CAFÉ!" Every Spanish person in the room chimed in.

The song was an old Spanish folk song, about coffee. Everyone around them danced and clinked cups together to the song. Edward even spied his parents attempting to sing along to this foreign song.

"You two are cute, can I take a picture?" A boy of about eleven years rushed over to them with a camera. Cara recognized him; it was a cousin of hers from her mother's side, although she wasn't sure if his name was Antonio or Giovanni.

"Oh...ok." Edward said nervously as he took his place at Cara's side. They stood still not touching, smiling awkwardly.

"No! That's not a picture guys! Relax! Think of something that makes you happy!" The boy said and looked through his camera.

_She looked up at me and grinned a little, getting closer and holding the back of my jacket. I never took my eyes off her. I held her waist tenderly, wanting her as close to me as possible. She smiled at me. I thought of how extraordinarily beautiful she looked that night as a flash blinded our peripheral vision. But we didn't mind, in fact, we didn't care about a lot of things when we were together._

"That was great guys." The boy took his camera from the stand, putting it on a small table under a seemingly old framed painting. The boy noticed the painting and studied it for a second. "I know this guy!" Cara and Edward snapped out of their trance and looked at the boy, not letting go of each other.

"What?" Cara asked.

"Rembrandt! He's that dead painter guy." The boy said as he squinted at a corner of the painting that had a signature on it.

"Oh..." Cara looked at and shrugged. "We got it from some second-hand shop back in New York." _She never cared for the picture of the old man with the strange hat but her father kept it as a conversational piece._ "You should get to your mother, kiddo," she pointed to the painting, "it's probably not real anyway."

_It's real._


	8. The Gala

I believe that first, I should say 'sorry', so, sorry! However, I do have a rather brilliant excuse for missing the usual Wednesday 'update deadline: I was on a flight. I am visiting some people in America and so when I finished the chapter we were about to land and here in America, it was about 5, so I thought I had time. However, after dinner I got jet-lagged and fell asleep until well into Thursday and I meant to post yesterday but I was lazy. So sorry. But, it's here now, the impossible chapter is done and dusted and ready for reading (alliteration, yey)! Anyway, besides all of that, a big thank you to mangochi who is a user here on fanfiction and has been my technical advisor since I first began. Absolutely brilliant person, really, mangochi showed me how to display polls so that people can vote because no one was voting and I thought to myself "WHY?" and it was because nobody saw them which is a rookie mistake but ya.. so, thanks to him, you can vote! And please do, Wednesday awaits us! Anyway, without further ado, the very late chapter is here, please enjoy!

...

_I looked at the clock as I put down the 1917 journal; it was only 4:15 in the afternoon on Saturday. I got up and paced my room a couple times as I rose my arms above my head and brought them down to scratch my head. I looked at the nine journals on the floor. Nine years I had been with Cara, nine absolutely perfect years. For about five of those years, I loved her much more than words could describe and I looked forward to reading about it. But the next journal was the one I dreaded most._

The book itself was less preserved than the rest. The spine was well worn and some pages were torn a little or completely torn off and placed back in the book hastily. But it was the content that he wanted so much to avoid. This book was the most frequently thumbed through and for that matter, the most often thrown across the room.

_As I sat back on the sofa, I considered just skipping the book all together, but for some reason, I didn't. I had to keep going, despite the pain and torture that I could possibly impose upon myself as I dive into the terrible memories of that year. I took the book and opened it in my lap. The leather was worn and dry, cracking a little at the touch. I read a few entries quickly, stopping at one to stare at the year. 1918. It sends chills down my spine, even now. If it were at all possible, I would give anything in the world to reverse the clocks. I would do anything to keep 1918 from happening. I sighed, again considering putting the books away and never thinking of them again but I chose to read on. I looked at the rest of the written date and nodded as I summoned a vague memory and kept reading._

**29 June, 1918**

**She is the most beautiful girl I may ever lay eyes upon in my life. She charms me every day and shows me something about her that draws me closer to her. She has not yet noticed her own beauty, allowing her to be free of conceit and vanity. She is humorous and when she smiles, I can feel my heart melt in my chest. When I'm with her, other men look at me with envy and tonight will be no exception. As I write, she dresses in the room directly above my own. She will put on a lovely evening gown and brush back her hair a little differently for me. My heart races at the thought of it. Upstairs, she dresses so elegantly to be my date for the evening. There will never be a night I look forward to more than this.**

Edward put his pencil down for a second to ponder the last idea. He was only seventeen; surely he might have another night somewhere in his life that will be just as looked forward to. He looked in a small looking-glass as he dipped his comb in a glass of water and ran it through his hair, making it hold closer to his head. He passed over his hair a few times with the comb, accomplishing a far more regal look than usual. He set the comb into the glass and closed the book, deciding that there would be nothing more exciting to him than getting ready to be Cara's date to a fancy gala for his father's work.

The gala was held annually and members of Edward Sr.'s job were rarely invited. It was a widely understood truth that once you were invited and made a good impression, a promotion was nearby. Edward heard of these beautiful blowouts from his father and when the invitation came, he begged and pleaded his father to put four people in attendance instead of three. He wanted Cara by his side.

As the night of the gala neared the eighth hour, Edward began to feel the nerves sink in. He paced his room listening, straining his ears for some sound from upstairs. Nothing. He began to worry if she was going to go or not. He sat on his bed and drummed his fingers on the wooden headboard. He looked from the ceiling to the clock.

Seven thirty-six.

He bounced his knee nervously, and then started picking invisible pieces of lint off his jacket.

Seven forty-two.

Edward sprung up from his bed and crossed the room to look into the looking-glass. He smoothed his hair and grabbed the single, short-stem red rose he got for Cara very early that morning. He stroked the pedals as he continued to pace.

Seven fifty-eight.

Edward breathed deeply in and out as he stared at the clock, willing it to move faster and faster. He walked over to the window, pulling the curtains back a little. People walked around as usual outside. The night was alive and bright with the daily action of Chicago residents and tourists on a Saturday night.

"Eddie!" Elizabeth called from the kitchen. Edward jumped, making the curtain fall in his face and push his hair to the side. He hastily went to the looking-glass again and combed his hair back into place.

"Yes, mother?" He called back mid-comb.

"We are leaving. You are ready, right?"

"Yes!" He said as he finished his last comb and looked at his reflection. He took another deep breath and took a drink of the comb water, immediately spitting it back into the glass.

"Ugh!" He exclaimed as he wiped his mouth with his wrist. He looked at himself again, breathing deeply. "It's just Cara... you have nothing to worry about... it is just Cara..." he nodded and straightened his jacket. "Just Cara." He whispered as opened his door, heading towards the front door. "Just Cara."

Edward waited at the stairway for his parents. They were always well-dressed and always looked proud to be with each other. He smiled as he watched them stride towards the door. They really did glow when they were together. They set the standard for love for Edward, whether they knew it or not. Edward turned to the door, watching his father as he opened the car door for Elizabeth. He did not hear the tiny steps descending down the stairs.

"You have not forgotten me, I hope." Edward smiled and turned around. His mouth dropped a little before he closed it, trying to avoid embarrassment.

Cara stood at the second to last step wearing a steel-blue floor length dress which managed to hug her body around her chest and waist. Her hair was swept up in a beautifully intricate looking up do which was secured by numerous pearl-tipped pins. Her cheeks were a dull pink and as she moved down the stairs, the smell of cinnamon wafted over to him. Edward was speechless.

"I hope you like the dress... I made it yesterday..." she smiled; making Edward's heart beat uncontrollably. He could not summon any words and simply extended his hand to her, offering the rose, almost as if offering a gift to Venus herself. Cara smiled wider and took it. "It's beautiful." She buried her nose into it.

"You're beautiful." Edward said quickly. He paused as she looked up at him.

"Thank you." She took the flower and attempted to secure it on a pin.

"Here..." Edward said taking the flower and putting it in her hair. "Perfect." He said as he stepped back and looked deep in her eyes. "Absolutely perfect."

...

The Gala was as esthetically pleasing as it was grand.

There, it was a sea of people dressed brilliantly. A lot of couples wore matching clothes; some wore all black or all white. And there were a handful of people who wore red (in order to stand out). Edward looked at Cara once more. No one stood out quite like she did. But it was never what she wore that did that for her that was only the flourish. She stood out simply because of the way she carried herself and her smile. She was a stunning person.

"Mr. and Mrs. Edward Masen!" A posh announcer called out to the room as Edward's parents walked in. The man took one look at Edward and Cara as they approached him. He discreetly handed Cara a dance card as he cleared his throat. "Edward Masen Jr. and escort, Cara Vivas." They walked proudly to their table, Edward pulling out Cara's chair for her so she could sit. When they sat a waiter placed a domed silver dish in front of them. Cara wrote feverishly on her dance card.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked as she finished the last line and moved her hand away. In every place, 'Edward Masen' was scribbled in.

"I don't like to meet new people." She said blushing slightly. Edward smiled as the music began to crescendo merrily.

"Well then, Miss Vivas, I believe this is our dance." Edward stood, taking Cara's tiny hand in his large one. For hours, they danced and dined, forgetting everyone else's presence. As the night neared the eleventh hour, Edward and Cara found their way onto a big balcony.

"Wow..." Cara said softly as they walked on. A few rose bushes were placed on the balcony which over looked the grounds of the event hall. The night was warm and clear. The stars glistened in the black sky. "Thank you." Cara said, turning to Edward. "This has been amazing."

"It was amazing because you were here." Edward said as he got closer to her. They both rested their hands on the edge of the railing, hands nearly touching.

…

The event hall was a two-hour drive away from the townhouse. The four of them got into the car, all very content and very tired, except, of course, for Edward Sr., who by the end of the night was positively elated since he was promised to have a 'talk' with his boss the following Monday morning. Edward and Cara sat close in the backseat. Cara groped the fabric of her skirt as Edward went in and out of sleep. Cara looked up at him.

"I'm really going to miss you," she whispered. She focused on her skirt again, thinking of all the past years since she lived in Chicago. Edward always left her for the summer. He always stayed with a friend of his in Michigan. His best friend, rather. They wrote constantly. From time to time, he let her read some of the letters. He seemed like a nice guy, just very promiscuous, "I wish you didn't have to leave." Silently, Edward thought of leaving too. He always hated being away from Cara for three whole months, although the vacation from his parents was nice. He smiled a little, keeping his eyes closed.

"What if you came with me?"

Cara smiled slowly and hugged Edward's arm close, resting her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes thinking of a vacation, basically alone, with Edward. Such a happy thought lulled the both of them to a peaceful sleep.


	9. The Vacation

Okay, so, real quick before I get this up and running: first, its on time this week, so yeyy! Second, I've been gathering people to vote on the poll so thank you so much to those who voted. I got nervous yesterday because there was a six-way tie and I thought "That doesn't help me at all!" But its okay. What I decided was that Aron's surname would be Anderson (which I wanted for him at first because his father's name is "Andrew" and Anderson means "son of Andrew" so yaa... I like it. What I decided to do was find a way to use all of the names listed on the poll since everyone really liked them. But yaa, Anderson won for Aron, I'm happy about that. Thanks again guys! I'll be posting more polls so I can get the reader's help with the story. So keep voting guys! Anyway, last thing, keep in mind that for the next few chapters, Edward and Cara are seventeen at this point. I say that because sometimes its difficult to notice that characters get older as the story progresses. I have that issue. In fact, I can't seem to read the Harry Potter installments without thinking of Harry as ten years old. But, he is not and neither are our characters here. Just keep that in mind as the story treks on. I hope you like it. I write to please myself but aspire to please others. Anyway, must go on, please remember to comment, I do love comments! Enjoy my lovely readers!

...

After weeks of begging, reasoning, groveling and convincing, Cara was able to pack her trunk with all her summer dresses, hats and swimming costumes in preparation of her departure to Michigan. Edward had promised both her parents and his parents that he would look out for Cara and always be with her. This appealed to him greatly. He enjoyed the thought of spending the entire summer under the same roof as Cara. He saw it as an opportunity to get closer, and, with any luck at all, summon the courage to court her in a proper manner. The day before the departure, he hurried about his room, throwing clothes into his trunk barely bothering to fold anything. His heart went wild; his hands shook as he closed the lock on his trunk. He sat on his bed and studied his room, uncertain if he forgot anything or not. He knew that this trip would not only be a vacation, but a life-changing experience.

There were many reasons why Cara and Edward were driven over to Michigan instead of simply taking a train. For one thing, Edward never liked trains. They were too small and loud. They smelled of smoke and had too many people crammed onto it. Also, it took a lot of time and effort to convince Cara's parents to allow her to go, after this was accomplished, every seat on the train was booked up for the summer. However, the most dominant reason was that they both wanted to travel for longer and in closer proximity with each other.

"And this Aron is a gentleman?" Allegra asked nervously clutching onto the collar of her dress.  
"Oh yes, he's the sweetest boy. We've sent Edward to stay with him over the summer for the past few years." Elizabeth smiled happily as Edward walked out of the house carrying one suitcase in each hand. He placed them on the lawn and walked back inside.  
"You never go with him?" Another tight collar squeeze.  
"Oh, no, it's a grand place but they keep horses." Edward Sr. said calmingly.  
"Yes, Edward here is quite allergic to the horse hairs. We didn't stay there more than an hour; we had to take the next train back home." Elizabeth held her husband's hand and kissed it softly, "My poor dear."  
"And what is the boy's father like? Good man?" Desi huffed.  
"Salt of the Earth. In fact I believe he is going to drive them over." Elizabeth cooed.  
"His mother?"  
"Oh..." Edward Sr. and Elizabeth exchanged a glance.

"He doesn't have a mother... she died when his little sister was born. It's quite tragic, best not to mention it." Elizabeth said in a hushed tone.  
"Yes, of course... how sad." Allegra became quiet. They all watched in awe as a shiny black automobile pulled up to the curb in that moment. A tall man in an expensive-looking suit got out of the car. Elizabeth waved and smiled.  
"Hello, Ernest!"  
The man walked over to them and extended his hand.  
"Elizabeth, always a pleasure." He shook her hand then Edward Sr.'s. The man's smile was award-winning and comforting. He had a face anyone could trust, much like a politician. "Edward, it's been too long, sir."  
"Ernest." Edward Sr. said neighborly. "How do you do?"  
"Very well, sir, always." Another pearly smile, turning to Allegra, "You must be Allegra; I've heard so much of you." He shook her hand excitedly. She simply nodded. Desi extended his hand.  
"Hello, sir, you must excuse my wife, we have never allowed our daughter to go somewhere on her own for such a long time. I'm Desi."  
"Of course, of course, no need for exc-use, I understand entirely a daughter is a precious one. But, I assure you, she is safe in my care." Desi smiled as Allegra sighed.  
"Thank you." She whispered as Cara walked out onto the lawn. Ernest smiled, walking towards her with his hand out.  
"Hello miss." He shook her hand, "You must be Cara. It'll be a pleasure to have you." Cara smiled as Edward walked next to her.  
"All ready." He said gleefully. Ernest smiled at him and pat Edward's head. "Good to see you, Ernest."  
"And to you as well, my boy." Ernest said and picked up the two trunks. "I'll get these in the car so you kids can say your farewells." He walked off as Allegra hugged Cara tightly, bombarding her head with kisses.  
Elizabeth hugged Edward and his father pat him on the back. As Cara hugged her father, Allegra hugged Edward.  
"Make sure she is looked after Edward, I trust you." Edward nodded, looking lovingly at Cara over Allegra's shoulder. He would always be there for Cara.  
Ernest held the car door open as they got in. They waved at their parents until they were mere dots on the horizon.  
For about an hour, Ernest talked on and on. He talked about how long Edward has been coming up to Michigan; he talked about how Edward met Aron when he was only five or so. And when he stopped on the way to pick up four elegant summer dresses, nine medium packages in postage boxes, a long parcel usually used to hold maps or paintings, a new toaster and a very expensive Italian hand-made suit fit for a teenager, he explained that he was truly Aron's butler.  
"That's right!" Ernest said as he piled the toaster box on the seat where Cara sat previously. "Ernest Royal at your service. I've been employed by the entire Anderson family for about 20 years next April." He chuckled, moving a box so it fit snugly under Edward's feet. "Not to give away my age or anything but—sorry, Ed— I've been in Andrew's employment since I was twenty-six years young, almost." He moved another box and placed a dress over it, seeming to fit all of the packages in the very limited space. "You kids alright?" He looked up at Edward and Cara. Cara had been fully moved from her seat to basically Edward's lap. Edward held her knees close to him so she didn't fall on the long parcel that stretched from door to door and with the other arm, he held her back.  
"Yes." They both said all too eagerly. They looked at each other and smiled.  
"Good!" Ernest said as he closed the door and hopped into the driver's seat, "because it'll be quite a few hours until we get there." He started the engine as they both shifted their weight, getting a little bit closer to each other.

...

Hours passed. The three of them talked and laughed. They were floored by how many fascinating things Ernest knew and did. As the sky darkened, Cara's head became heavy and very soon, she rested her head on Edward's chest. He stroked her hair slowly, as he held her closer.  
"Does she know?" Ernest asked quietly after a period of silence.  
"Know what?"  
"How much you love her?"  
A pause.  
"There is no way to say it without being so blunt." He followed a locke of her hair down to a perfect corkscrew curl and followed the spiral with his finger, "I hoped that living with her would help me to court her."  
"But you live with her now." Ernest sighed and loosened his grip on the steering wheel, "You know what Aron is like... you know how he is with girls his age... I think that bringing her here was not the best idea, Ed."  
"No..." Edward smiled as he stroked her cheek softly, "she is so different. She is so modest and innocent. And she knows better than to be seduced by the likes of him." He looked up as Ernest shrugged.  
"I hope so, Ed. You and her look good together. Happy." He turned to look at Edward quickly, "just tell her soon." He looked back at the road and lowered his voice, "You know how he is."


	10. The Illusion

Early in the morning, the light from the sun glowed on the white silk bed sheets. Spooned in the blankets and pillows was a girl of age who stirred blissfully before lifting her head to a tall, erect figure beside her.

"Hey, stranger." she cooed as she stretched a little and sat up, covering herself with the sheets, "what's that?" He sat on the bed, already dressed in casual day wear which he wore with a certain prestige that was ever-present in him.

"Just a little espresso, I find it works the best for that headache you have." She caressed her temples as he handed her the small espresso cup.

"Thanks." she sipped as she scanned his body. "You're looking quite dapper." she put the cup down and leaned over to him, beginning to unbutton his shirt, "Ready for another go?" she whispered sensually. He chuckled uncomfortably and took her hands from his shirt, re-buttoning the button she un-did.

"You know, I think we need to talk..."

In a few moments, the front door was opened for Edward and Cara as a loud door slam was heard from the upstairs.

"UGHHH!" the girl groaned loudly, "How DARE you!" she spat as she thrust her feet onto the steps of the stairs. "How dare you!" she moaned as she fastened her right shoe on her left foot. She groaned and held her palm to her forehead, sensitive to the loud noise. "You think you can lead me to drink, take everything from me, serve me espresso and vow to never see me again?" He walked over casually to the top step, looking down on her like a child in the midst of a tantrum.

"Why, yes..." He said casually as he smoothed out his shirt.

"Well!" She breathed hard; she looked ravenous, "Fine! I don't want anything to do with you!"

"Ahh! Mr. Royal!" He smiled, looking genuinely happy to see Ernest. "I'm not sure exactly how up to it you are, but might I trouble you to bring home this young, tempestuous lady?" The girl's mouth gaped.

"I'm quite fine, son, I shall." Ernest said, nodding.

"You. Forgot. My. Name!" She huffed and groaned as her arms penetrated her coat, "you're despicable!"

"Ahh, then it is you who has forgotten my name, miss, I am Aron, and you are Emily." Aron smiled a bit and waved, "thank you for our time together, it was most memorable."

Emily let out a loud, final groan as she stomped out the door.

"Ms. Adler." Ernest said quietly as he held the door for her and followed her out. Aron sighed contently and focused on Edward.

"Ed!" Aron announced as he raced down the stairs and hugged him, "How was the drive?"

"Great, but what did you buy?" Edward said smiling.

"Oh, that's right..." he turned his head to a few maids dusting the tops of the console tables, "Florence, Marjorie, would you please empty the car?" They nodded and hurried out the door. Aron looked at Edward then at Cara. "Wait." He looked at her confused then looked at Edward who then sighed.

"Aron, this is Cara, I brought her to stay with us."

Aron nodded, knowingly, "That's right... that's right, you told me that..." he took her hand, "well, it's truly an honor."

Cara smiled wearily, unsure of how to react, "hello..." she said slowly. Aron laughed, letting go of her hand.

"You're right, Ed. About everything about her." He grinned as he looked her over, "you actually described her pretty perfectly, Ed." He looked up at her, "here I thought he was exaggerating." He chuckled as she looked away and cleared her throat. "You've become a kind of celebrity around here."

Cara half-smiled and turned her attention to Edward before a series of clicks descending down the stairs demanded their attention.

"Oh, good, Eddie is here now." A girl with semi-long, straight blonde hair walked towards them, her one-inch heels clicking rhythmically, "so good to see you." She pulled off a pair of small white gloves before hugging Edward. Cara looked away, embarrassed by a twinge of jealousy that she felt. She focused on the maids who carried out all the boxes from the car, "Ooohh! Things!" The girl said pulling away from the hug abruptly and running over to the maids. She scanned the boxes quickly and picked up the smallest one.

"You must excuse my sister's rudeness; she cannot seem to focus on anything for more than four seconds." Aron said looking at Edward then at Cara, "her name is Hailey." At the sound of her name, Hailey looked up immediately and turned her head to listen much like a lemur.

"Wait." She said putting the box down, "who are you?" She walked over quickly as Edward introduced her. Immediately upon hearing 'Cara', Hailey grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. "Cara!" She let go and held her hands, "I just know that we will become the best of friends." She smiled genuinely, her eyes brightening, "one of them is for you!" She grasped her hand as she led her to the pyramid of boxes the maids set up. Hailey looked them over and grabbed a box near the top, "this one!" She thrust it into Cara's hands.

"Thank you." Cara half-smiled, still confused but easing slightly. She lifted the cover gently.

"It's just a little welcome gift. Ed told us how you like them." Hailey said proudly. Cara gaped at the quaint arrangement of wild blue irises in the box she lifted them and smelled them, memories of vacations past flooding her mind. She smiled, "we got them all the way from New York." Hailey announced.

"Thank you." Cara said, hugging her, "you're right, we will be good friends." She said happily. Hailey smiled and walked to the drawing room with Cara. A few maids and butlers followed them, carrying the rest of the boxes.

...

"The poor lad was only about twelve but that didn't keep him from believing he was great at everything." Ernest laughed as he finished his last piece of broiled chicken.

"Oh! I do remember that!" A maid, Marie, laughed, "Do you remember the sailboat?"

The table, apart from Cara and Aron, burst out in laughter.

"What happened?" Cara asked as she forked a red seasoned potato and chewed it blissfully.

"Well three years ago, Aron wanted to impress... I don't know... some girl who loved the water." Ernest began.

"But of course, he knows nothing about being on the water and any of that." Hailey continued as she served herself another helping of salmon fillet.

"So he went out and bought a sailboat." A handsome dark-skinned waiter recalled as he piled wild rice onto his plate. "You outdid yourself here, Miss May." He said happily as everyone nodded and smiled at the short, light-skinned woman called May. She smiled a wide toothy grin, making her nose scrunch up and move her tiny glasses down a little.

"I rememba dat boat. I was on dat boat dat day." She chuckled, her whole upper body laughed with her, "He took hi' little girlfriend an' Ernest an' me so I could cook for dem." Another quaking laugh, "ev'rything was fine til' we left da dock."

More laughter.

"I remember how she flew off when he made that harsh turn when the wind kicked up!" Ernest laughed as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"How many sutures was it?" Florence asked as she cut a slice of cake for herself, "eighteen?"

"Twenty-one!" Aron admitted as he grinned and took a sip of his wine. The table burst out laughing. The dishwasher, George, fell out of his chair, "well, she was a fine girl. And now I have a boat." Another sip.

"How long did you date her?" Cara asked. The table hushed. Aron searched her eyes.

"A day." He said as he sipped again. Hailey sighed and took her plate quietly. She left the room and slowly, one by one, the staff lifted their plates from the table and walked towards the kitchen, getting ready to wash up and continue their jobs.

"A day?"

"Yes." He reclined in his chair, focusing only on Cara, "you see, after the accident and the proper medical attention was given, she found it cute that I tried to impress her." He set his fork on his plate as Ernest walked behind him and took his empty plate from him, walking away with it, "she and I spent the night and then I left. That is the way I have dated women for the past few years now." Before Ernest left the room, he looked back at the table and sighed, shaking his head. This left only Edward Cara and Aron.

"But don't they hear about you from others?" Cara became confused as she turned it over in her head, "you must have a terrible reputation. Do women not get turned off by the stories they hear?"

"They do!" He chuckled and took another sip of his wine, "they always do and many are, indeed, put off. However, I have a theory-" he put down the glass, "they always go for me because they think they will be the one." She smirked.

"The one what?" Edward said quietly as he focused on his cloth napkin.

"The one to change me." He looked at Cara perversely, "and we all know how women... love to do something... hard..." his foot touched hers and with that, her chair made a loud scraping sound as it was pushed out. She stood up tall; her face was flushed with anger and annoyance. She held onto her napkin tight before placing it gently on the table.

"Good night, Edward." She said softly. Edward looked up at her apologetically although she never removed her horrified glare from Aron "I'll see you in the morning." She left the room.

…

Another author's note at the bottom, guys! So, a few things before I sign off, I hope you noticed that the beginning was full of sex imagery, this is intentional. Also that I waited until the very end to introduce the name of Aron's one night stand. Also quite intentional. I wanted some anonymity to the beginning to relay the message of this lifestyle of anonymous intimacy. It's a thing I'm unfamiliar with so the way I see it, the more I can throw it in your face as unobtrusively as I can, the better. I also wanted to point out how Aron and Hailey treat their staff as family, you will learn why soon. However, please pay attention to the manner in which they were addressed: first name or last name. This is important! Anyway, thanks so much for reading, I'll repost mid-week next week. Be sure to review, cheers!


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